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H. F. PRILLWITZ.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. h 1917.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

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H. F. PRILLWITZ.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. NH].

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Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

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HENRY F. PRILL'WITZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed February 1, 1917. Serial No. 145.911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. PRILLWITZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful In1- provements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to acetylene gas generators in which the carbid is fed into the water in ,small quantities or charges, and its object is to provide a novel and improved carb-id feed mechanism which is highly efficient and reliable in action, and which will feed the carbid in such a manner that there is no danger of the generator going out of action.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in said drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the elements of the carbid-feed mechanism, and

Figs. 4 to 6 are vertical sections of the carbid-feed mechanism in different positions.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes a tank having a bottom water compartmeut 11 which is out 01f from the upper portion of the tank by a partition 12. From the center of the partition rises a cylindrical casing 13 which opens at its lower end into the water compartment. This casing contains the carbid-feed mechanism to be presently described, and the carbid drops down the same into the water compartment.

That portion of the tank 10, above the partition 12, contains a water-sealed bell 14 in which the gas collects, the bell being movable up and down in the water seal as the gas pressure increases or diminishes.

From a dome 15 rising from the partition 12, a pipe 16 extends into the bell 14, its upper end being above the water seal and provided with a hood 17 which extends down into the water. The upper end of the pipe has outlets 18 into the hood, and the latter has outlets 19 at the bottom, said out lets 19 being submerged in the water. The gas rising from the water in the compartment 11 passes up the pipe 16 and escapesinto the hood, and when the pressure increases sufficiently, the gas is forced through the water in the bell and rises from the same andcollects in the top of the bell above the water level. In its passage through the water, the gas is purified. The gas rising n the casing 13 is conducted by a pipe 20 into the dome 15.

The gas outlet from the bell 14 is through a pipe 21 having its upper end above the water seal and passing through a slot 22 in the side wall of the bell, and thence through the wall of the tank 10 above the'partition 12. The outlet pipe 21 is connected to a service pipe 23.

At 24 is shown a blow off or vent pipe which extends from the partition 12 into the bell 14, its upper inlet end being above the level-of the water in the bell and housed in a hood 25 which is carried by the bell and submerged in the water. The pipe 24 has a suitable connection with a pipe 26 on the outside of the apparatus. When an abnormal volume of gas collects in the bell 14 and the latter rises until the hood 25 uncovers the upper end of the pipe 24, the gas escapes through said pipe, thereby relieving the excess volume and pressure of gas in the bell. The pipe 24 communicates at its lower end with the Water compartment 11, so that any excess pressure in the latter may also be relieved.

The water compartment 11 has a sloping bottom 27 to facilitate removal of the sludge, a pump 28 being provided for this purpose.

In the casing 13 is mounted a hopper 29 containing a supply of carbid. The upper end of the casing is open so that the carb-id supply may be replenished, and access to the casing is had upon removing the cover 30 of the tank 10. The following means are provided for feeding the carbid in small charges from the hopper 29:

The contracted lower end of the hopper 29 has a side outlet opening 31, and beneath this opening is located a swinging gate 32 which is pivoted, as shown at 33. t0 the hopper wall above the outlet opening, and 1n front of said opening is a curved guard plate 34 which forms a continuation of the gate when the latter is closed, the gate and guard plate then extending across the outlet opening 31 as shown in Fig. 6. The gate laps the guard plate and slldes over the back thereof when it swings open, its opening movement being upward. When the gate is open, the space between the lower end of the guard plate and the hopper bottom is un-- obstructed, as shown in Fig. 4, and the carbid is free to discharge through the opening 31.

Beneath the bottom of the hopper 29 is also located a carbid dumping pan 35 which is pivoted to the hopper wall as shown at 36. This pan has a rearward extension 37 which is connected by a link 38 to the gate 32, so that the pan and the gate swing to gether.

Across the casing 13 extends a rock shaft 39 which is journaled in the wall of the easing and projects from one side thereof. On the projecting end of this shaft is made fast a rocker arm 40 extending at both ends from the shaft and having one of its ends weighted as shown at 41. The other end of the arm has a pivoted section 42, the pivotal connection being shown at 43.

Intermediate its ends, inside the casing 13, the shaft 39 has a crank bend 44 which is loosely connected, as shown at 45, to the bottom of the carbid dumping pan 35.

On the bell 14 is an abutment in the form of a roller 46, the same being so positioned that it intercepts the rocker arm section 42 at certain times as will be presently clescribed. To the rocker arm section 42 is also connected an actuating rod 47 which extends upward into the tank 10 so as to be readily accessible for manual actuation.

The operation of the carbid feed mechanism is as follows:

When the bell 14 is full of gas and in elevated position, the abutment 46 is above the rocker arm section 42, and through the weight 41 the shaft 39 has been rocked to place the pan 35 in receiving position directly beneath the hopper outlet 31. When the pan is swung to this position, its connection 38 with the gate 32 caused the latter to swing open, as shown in Fig. 4, to allow the pan to fill. IVhen the consumption of gas causes the bell 14 to lower, the abutment 46, upon striking the rocker arm section 42, rocks the shaft 39, whereupon, through the connection of the crank 44 with the pan 35, the latter is tilted down, as shown in Fig. 6, to dump its contents. The pivotal connection between the parts 40 and '42 is such that they move together as one when the abutment 46 presses down on the parts 42, but when the abutment slips below the part 42 and then again rises with the bell, said part slips to allow the abutment to pass. When the pan 35 tilts to drop the carbid charge, the gate 32 is pulled closed by the connection 38, to cut off the flow of carbid to the pan. When the pan 35 is again swung upward into receiving posltion, the gate 32 opens and the pan is refilled, this action taking place when the bell rises and the abutment leaves the part 42..

Fig. 5 shows an intermediate position of the feed mechanism, this being the position when the bell 14 is nearly at the limit of its downward movement. It will be seen that the pan 35 is discharging, and the gate 32 is partly open to allow a small quantity of carbid to escape from the hopper opening 31 to the pan. This is important, as the feed of the carbid in small quantities is continued until enough gas has been generated to again raise the bell 14, thus preventing the stoppage of the apparatus. As carbid is normally not of uniform quality, it will be evident that if the feed were stopped after a certain quantity had been dropped, the mechanism would stop if the carbid were of such poor quality, that the dropped charge would not result in the generation of suflicient gas to elevate the bell. However, by providing for the intermediate position of the feed mechanism as shown in Fig. 5, the feed of carbid in a small stream is continued until sufiicient gas has been generated to elevate the bell and stop the feed, and the parts are now again in position for the next feed when the bell again drops.

The feed of carbid is started manually by pushing down on the rod 47, which rocks the shaft 39 and feeds the first charge, after which the carbid feed is automatic as hereinbefore described.

In the casing 13, above the carbid feed hopper 29 is a reserve carbid holder 48 having a bottom outlet provided with a closure 49 carried by an operating rod 50. This holder will be filled with carbid so that if the supply in the hopper 29 should become exhausted while the apparatus is in use, the holder may be opened to discharge into the hopper, enough carbid being thus obtained to keep the apparatus running until the hopper can be refilled. Hence it will not be necessary at any time to replenish the carbid supply after dark, and thus all danger of an explosion from a lamp in proximlty to the apparatus is avoided.

It will be noted that the hopper outlet 31 is in the side thereof and that the guard plate 34 is off to one side of the outlet. The guard plate therefore defines a pocket on the outside of the outlet, and when the pan 32 swings back toreceiving position as shown in Fig. 4, the carbid thereon is crowded into the pocket with ease instead of being pressed back into the hopper through the outlet 31, as would be the case if the latter discharged straight down into the pan.

I claim:

1. In an acetylene gas generator, a carbid reservoir having a side outlet, a pivoted gate positioned to one side of the outlet when open and adapted to swing beneath the same when closed, a pivoted dumping pan beneath the gate, means for closing the gate when the pan is in dumping position and for opening the gate when. the pan is, in. re-

ceiving position, and a guard-plate extendpocket in front of the outlet, a pivoted gate ing outward from the reservoir and facing mounted to swing beneath the pocket and the outlet, said plate extending over the pan behind the same, a pivoted dumping pan when the latter is in receiving position, and beneath the gate, and means for closing the 5 forming a continuation of the gate when gate when the pan is in dumping position 15 the latter is closed. and for opening the gate when the pan is in 2. In an acetylene gas generator, a carbid receiving position. reservoir having a side outlet, a guard plate In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. extending outward from the reservoir and v 10 facing the outlet, said plate defining a HENRY F. PRILLWITZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. 0. 

